I share the real-life stories that inspired my books, as well as other travel adventures, and posts on the food, history, and culture of the Southwest United States.

Monday, September 25, 2017

Meet #Romance Author Tina Gayle for #BookHugs of Summer’s Growth

Inspiration – Write like
only you will read it, if you cry, laugh or enjoy it, it’ll be your secret
passion until you introduce it to the world. (Just love what you do no matter
what it is)

Summer’s
Growth

In the spirit-haunted
Winston estate in Ohio, rooted in time and occupied by the lingering ghosts of
a great family, the torch is about to pass...

Mattie Winston, sober,
sensible, and steady, has served as Keeper to the family for decades. Amber
Harrison, hovering on the edge of flunking out of college, unsure what she
wants out of life, has barely even heard of the Winston estate. The family,
however, has decided that it's time for the changing of the guard. These two
exceptional women soon find themselves dealing with violence, murder attempts,
and old family mysteries while each finding the love of her life. Two romances
and a growing friendship, all twined around a brooding family tragedy, make for
an outstanding paranormal mystery offering depth and charm beyond the
commonplace. The growing love of Amber and Carter and of Mattie and Quincy
offer readers a tender and engaging first novel in a winning new paranormal
series.

Excerpt

Stifling
humidity greeted her when she opened the door to the main section of the
basement. She eyed the man seated behind a long oak table. The air conditioner
hummed. The soothing whine didn’t calm her fears or cool the subterranean room.

Dressed in an eighteenth century
colonial suit and stuck at the perpetual age of thirty, Jonathan resembled
George Washington ready to command his troops. His eagle-eye glare nailed her.

A drop of sweat trickled down her back.
Apprehension raised goose bumps. She shivered.

“I press earnestly for you to take a
seat, Mattie, so we can start.” In a regal colonial voice, Jonathan’s words
thundered off the walls.

Mattie walked to the end of the table
and sat across from him. Dread threatened like a storm on the horizon. She
surveyed both sides of the table. None of the other council members were in
attendance.

Mattie wiped her sweaty palms along the
length of her thighs. What did he want?
Jonathan didn’t usually hold a one-on-one meeting in this setting. Normally,
they met in her office upstairs.

The muscles in her stomach jerked.

“In a concise statement of the facts as
I see them,” Jonathan spoke without preamble. “We have found your replacement,
and we need to address the issue of your future.”

Her fears were relieved as to the topic
of today’s meeting. She decided to address a number of other issues that should
be discussed before her future. “Shouldn’t we wait until Amber Harrison accepts
the job?”

“No.”

Startled, Mattie blinked. “Why?”

“Because no matter the outcome, you will
still be replaced,” Jonathan declared.

“Yes, but what if Amber doesn’t work
out?” For days, she’d speculated on how to approach this subject. “My nephew,
Josh Clarkston is a lawyer. He’d make an excellent keeper.”

“No,” Jonathan’s rough voice commanded.
“The wisest council will not be misled into offering such an important post to
such an unworthy candidate. His character lacks the necessary virtues to
accomplish the tasks we require of our keeper.

“As for your sister, Cynthia Clarkston,
she never speaks of us without evidence of malice. We find no cause to reward
her for her gum and insolence.” The rigid set of Jonathan’s jaw indicated he
refused to budge on the matter. “Like a Redcoat, she only wants what she can
get from us. Her son has grown into a bad egg.”

“But...” Her stomach grumbled, mirroring
her distress.

“Mattie.” His tone lower, he shook his head.
“Many hours have been spent debating the matter. You’ve been a loyal subject
since the age of fifteen, and you’ve paid your dues to your family. We
hornswoggled you out of your youth. It’s time for you to relinquish control.”
An indulging note bled through his words. “No one will ever be good enough to
replace you.”

Tina
Gayle grew up a dreamer and loved to
escape into the world of books. After a number of different jobs, she decided
to try her hand at writing. Her romantic novels touch the heart and explore the
heartaches of falling in love and being a woman.

Married
thirty years, she and her husband love to travel and play golf. If you’d like to read the 1st chapter of her
books visit her website.